HVAC systems, including air conditioners, experience incidents of condensate fluid flooding which creates an immense amount of damages throughout the United States every year. These damages include flooded air conditioner equipment, flooded air ducting, drywall damage, collapsed ceilings, mold, electrical shorting, mechanical damages and various other safety hazards from slip and falls to electrocution. One factor that contributes to these flooding incidents is the clogging of condensate drain fluid pressure traps. Pressure traps are an integral part of HVAC equipment condensate fluid drainage systems.
A condensate fluid pressure trap is a U-shaped section of drainpipe that is installed onto air conditioner condensate drainpipes which allows for condensate fluid to completely fill a portion of the drainpipe. Pressure traps prevent the transmission of air through the condensate drainpipe which allows for proper drainage.
Condensate pressure traps become clogged with dust, debris and slime that drain into the pressure trap from the air conditioner drain pan. The bacterial slime, called zooglea, can also grow inside the pressure trap. These materials will collect in the bottom/reservoir of the U-shaped trap until a clog forms. When the clogs occur condensate fluid cannot drain through the pressure trap and the fluid backs up into the air conditioner condensate pan filling it up until it flows over the top and causing flooding.
The invention Self-cleaning condensate drain pressure trap for air conditioning improves on the design of the traditional type HVAC condensate pressure trap. The design retains the fluid trapping ability while enabling the invention to unclog itself if the need arises. The device mimics a simple procedure I've performed during my 15 years of professional HVAC services which effectively unclogs pressure traps. The process uses the condensate fluid created by the clog as an unclogging medium. With the aid of a fluid pump to stir up the pressure trap debris clog, gravity becomes the means by which the clog is flushed out of the condensate pressure trap. This process allows for a safe and undamaging means of p-trap unclogging. The invention also incorporates an overflow safety shutdown function for the air conditioning system which halts further production of condensate fluid until the drainage issue is resolved.
The Self-cleaning condensate pressure trap for air conditioning is a low pressure, minimally invasive device. The invention does not pressurize condensate drainpipes nor was it designed to clear obstructions along the entire condensate drain system flow path. This device only treats one type of condensate drainpipe clogging while providing a safety against the other types.
The majority of the invention's mechanisms are encased within a protective outer cover. The cover is constructed of a plastic material which is resistant to sunlight, high ambient heat, rain and moisture. The outer covers protect the vulnerable mechanisms of the device from weathering, which allows the device to be applied in outdoor as well as indoor HVAC applications.
A more detailed description of the invention, its components and operations will become apparent by examination of the summary, drawings and detailed description.